Real estate agents and brokers make money by charging commissions to their clients when they help them buy or sell the property. To be allowed to charge these commissions, an agent must first obtain a real estate license, also known as a realtor’s license or real estate salesperson’s license. The local government issues these licenses, and each state has its own set of real estate license requirements that must be met to receive one. If you want to become an agent and earn commissions from real estate sales, you’ll need to learn how to get a real estate license in your state and apply for one.

General Information

The state, not local governments, licenses real estate agents. For example, when you get a driver’s license in California, it is valid across all cities in that state. There are some differences between states when it comes to becoming licensed but getting your real estate license is similar all over. This means that if you get your license in one city, you can work anywhere in your state without any issues (though there might be different standards for insurance). Suppose you want to be able to work in multiple states, however. In that case, agencies like NAR (National Association of Realtors) administer tests for licensing purposes for each state or country.

 Prerequisites

Some states have prerequisites that prospective agents must complete before they can even apply for a license. These include completing an education program from an accredited university or college, submitting a criminal background check, and paying a fee for a license application review. In addition, some states require prospective agents to take an exam of state-specific knowledge before receiving their licenses. However, some states allow individuals who have never been licensed in real estate before to skip these steps if they meet other requirements instead. For example, in Texas, applicants must complete 60 hours of pre-licensing coursework within one year of applying for their licenses.

 Licensing Exams

To get your real estate license, you must pass two exams. Most states and territories offer the National (or General) Exam, while individual states usually offer an additional state-specific exam. Some states only require that you pass one of these exams, while others require that you pass both. If your state requires both, they are typically taken in succession on consecutive days.

Application Procedures

There are several steps in applying for a real estate license. The first is passing your state’s licensing exam, which you can typically do at one of your local colleges that offers degrees in real estate. After that, you must then submit an application for licensure along with all necessary fees. Your application will then be processed by your state board, after which you will receive notification on whether or not you have been approved to receive a license in real estate. Once licensed, follow up with your state board every two years in order to renew your license so that it remains active!

 Real Estate License Options 

The real estate license options in your state will depend on whether or not you plan to represent buyers, sellers, landlords, or tenants. Typically, if you want to do any of these things for a living, then you’ll need to get licensed as a real estate broker. This involves more paperwork and higher fees than just getting a license as a real estate agent. That said, it’s much easier to become licensed in most states if you are willing to represent one side of an arrangement. For example, an agent can represent both buyers and sellers at once without having two licenses, provided that they are not representing both parties in precisely the same transaction.